Switch means for ball rolling games



March 17, 194 2. THOMPSON 2,276,748

SWITCH MEANS FOR BALL ROLLING GAMES Filed May 19, 1941 VENTOR.

A05 .JTIOKM/EK Patented Mar. 17, 1942 2,276,748 SWITCH MEANS FOR BALLROLLING GAMES Harry Thompson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Genco Mfg. 00.,Chicago, 111., a. partnership composed of Louis W. Gensbur Myer Gensburgg, David Gensburg, and

Application May 19, 1941, Serial No. 394,155

2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain improvements in switch means for ballrolling games and has for its principal object the provision of an improved structure which will be highly efficient in use and economical aswell as simple in construction.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a ball obstructionadapted to be affected When engaged by a ball to establish a circuitwhich will record such engagement.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a bumper for ballrolling games a novel switch operating means which will effect closingof a switch by engagement of a ball against the bumper from any angulardirection.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in the table of aball rolling game a novel mounting plate for carrying a tiltable discand in which there is arranged means for detecting the tilting operationof the disc to effect closing of a switch.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certaindetails of construction, arrangement of parts and mode of operationthereof, all of which will appear more fully in the specification as thedescription proceeds in View of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view taken substantially alongline 22 of Fig. 1 and at substantially increased scale with respectthereto; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts embodied in theinvention as illustrated I in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, It indicates a playboard which is preferably,though not necessarily, arranged substantially inclined with respect tothe horizontal. This board It is adapted to form a table over which aball II is rollable. Various types of ball obstructions have beenemployed in various positions on the table, and in the present instancethere is illustrated what is known as the bumper type obstruction 12.Associated with such bumper is a resilient ring [3 against which therolling ball H is adapted to engage for rebound back upon the table It.

The bumper structure I2 is arranged on the playboard Hi through themedium of a base i5 and a pair of bolts I6 arranged through spacersleeves ll formed integrally on the underside of the bumper I2 andthrough a flange portion ii.- on the base to affix the base and bumperto the board as shown. The base l5 has a cylindrical central portion l9adapted to be inserted in an opening 26 formed in the table It. Arrangedin this cylindrical portion !9 is a sleeve formation 2! having anannular flange 22 adapted to seat on a flange formation 23- extendinginwardly from the cylindrical portion I9.

A tiltable disc 24 is arranged between the flange I8 of the base and thelower edge of the bumper l2 and has openings 25 formed therein to permitpassage of the spacer sleeves I1 of the bumper. There is an opening 26formed in the lower edge of the bumper l2 concentrically with respect tothe cylindrical portion IQ of the base l5. A guide formation 21 of thetiltable disc 24 extends into the opening 26 for guiding the movement ofthe disc 24.

Arranged in the sleeve formation 2| is a movable pin 28, and this pin 28is adapted to move along the vertical axis of the sleeve 2| and has ahead portion 29 adapted to engage against the underside of the disc 24.A spring means 30 is normally disposed within the cylindrical portion IQof the base l5 surrounding the upper portion of the sleeve formation 2|,and has its lower portion seated on the annular flange 22 and its upperconvolution bearing against the head 29 of the movable pin to urge thelatter upward toward the disc 24. The spring 38 likewise urges the discinto a raised position, as shown in Fig. 2, a substantial distance abovethe top surface of the playboard ID.

The switch structure 3| is mounted on the underside of the playboard IDby any suitable means such as the screws 32 and has a pair of resilientleaf spring contact elements 33 and 34 normally disposed out ofengagement with respect to each other. The switch structure 3| is sopositioned beneath the playboard It] as to dispose the free end portionsof the contact elements 33-34 in a position beneath the sleeve formation2|, with the uppermost contact element 33 engaging the lower end 35 ofthe movable pin 28. The switch 3| is adapted to be connected in acircuit, such as the circuit 36, which includes a source of electricalenergy 31 and an electromagnet 38, or any like device, adapted to beenergized when the switch contact elements 3334 engage each other toassume closed circuit condition.

As will be observed in Figs. 1 and 2, the peripheral edge of the disc 24flares outwardly from the base l5 and bumper l2, so that a rolling ballengaging the bumper from any direction will necessarily engage theperipheral edge of the disc 24 to tilt the disc as seen in Fig. 2. Suchtilting operation of the disc 24 causes its centermost portion to beardown upon the head 29 of the movable pin 28 against the action of thespring 30 The element 28 will be guided in movement downward along thevertical axis of the sleeve formation 2| so that the lower end portion35 of the pin 28 will flex the upper contact element 33 into engagementwith the other contact element 34, thereby completing circuit throughthe switch 3| to effect operation of a signal or detector through themedium of an electromagnetic device such as the device 38.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a table, a base having a sleeve formation embedded inthe table, a switch structure comprising a pair of contact elementsarranged beneath said sleeve formation, a member on said base and freeto tilt in various directions, upon engagement with a rolling object,means arranged in said sleeve for vertical movement, a spring normallyurging said means toward said member and adapted to permit said means toengage said switch structure when said member is tilted by a rollingobject to effect engagement of said contact elements.

2. In combination, a table over which balls are rollable, switch meansmounted on the underside of said table, means forming a base ar rangedon said table, a ball obstruction mounted on said base and adapted to bestruck by a ball, a tiltable disc arranged on said base and having aperipheral edge portion extending beyond said ball obstruction andadapted to be tilted when engaged by a ball, means arranged in said baseforvertical movement therein and having an upper portion normallyengaging said disc and a lower portion engaging said switch whereby toefiect operation of said switch when a ball engages the disc asaforesaid.

HARRY THOMPSON.

